G3D Mark is a standard benchmark that measures graphics performance in real-world gaming scenarios. It simplifies comparing cards from different brands, where higher scores directly correlate with better fps and smoother gaming experiences.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, raw graphics performance, VRAM, feature set, power efficiency, pricing context, and long-term value so you can see which GPU actually makes more sense.

GeForce RTX 3060

2021

Why buy it

✅8.3% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Costs $870 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $1,199 MSRP).
✅Delivers 353.4% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.7 vs 11.4 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs $1,199 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 8 GB).

Trade-offs

❌Fewer clear downsides in this head-to-head, aside from the usual pricing and availability swings.

Titan X Pascal

2016

Why buy it

✅Competitive enough if your priority is price, power, or specific feature preference.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3060 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 8 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 8 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌
264.4% HIGHER MSRP
$1,199 MSRPvs$329 MSRP

GeForce RTX 3060

2021

Titan X Pascal

2016

Why buy it

✅8.3% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Costs $870 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $1,199 MSRP).
✅Delivers 353.4% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.7 vs 11.4 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs $1,199 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 8 GB).

Why buy it

✅Competitive enough if your priority is price, power, or specific feature preference.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer clear downsides in this head-to-head, aside from the usual pricing and availability swings.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3060 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 8 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 8 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌
264.4% HIGHER MSRP
$1,199 MSRPvs$329 MSRP

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3060 better than Titan X Pascal?

Yes. GeForce RTX 3060 is clearly the better overall GPU here. GeForce RTX 3060 averages 8.3% more FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. You are also looking at 16,995 vs 13,660 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 3060 is a 2021 card with DLSS Super Resolution, while Titan X Pascal is a 2016 model from an older flagship class with no meaningful modern upscaling stack. So this is not really a tight same-tier comparison. It is more a modern card against an older, weaker alternative.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

GeForce RTX 3060 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2021 generation instead of 2016, 24.4% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 12 GB instead of 8 GB, and better upscaling support with DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack. That leaves it with more room for heavier textures, tougher ray tracing loads, and higher-end 1440p or 4K gaming over the next few years.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper card?

GeForce RTX 3060 is the smarter buy today, but it is not as lopsided as a simple winner label makes it sound. GeForce RTX 3060 is about $870 cheaper on MSRP at $329 MSRP versus $1,199 MSRP, and you are getting 8.3% more estimated average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and 24.4% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 353.4%. That is why the better overall card still comes out as the smarter buy today, not just the faster one.

Is Titan X Pascal still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

Yes. Titan X Pascal is still a strong modern gaming GPU: it is very strong for 1080p, good for 1440p, and more limited at 4K. It remains a good buy when you can get it meaningfully cheaper than the alternative around $1,199 MSRP, even if GeForce RTX 3060 is still the cleaner recommendation on overall value today.

Games Benchmarks

Real-world benchmarks and performance projections based on comprehensive hardware analysis and comparative metrics. Values represent expected performance on High/Ultra settings at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. Modeled using a Ryzen 7 9800X3D reference profile to minimize specific CPU bottlenecks.

Note: Performance behavior can vary per game. Specific architectures may perform better or worse depending on game engine optimizations and API implementation.

GeForce RTX 3060 Benchmark Check

Titan X Pascal Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	Titan X Pascal
1080p
low	149 FPS	146 FPS
medium	131 FPS	130 FPS
high	118 FPS	113 FPS
ultra	99 FPS	96 FPS
1440p
low	126 FPS	126 FPS
medium	104 FPS	103 FPS
high	92 FPS	88 FPS
ultra	80 FPS	79 FPS
4K
low	67 FPS	73 FPS
medium	58 FPS	62 FPS
high	39 FPS	47 FPS
ultra	32 FPS	41 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open Titan X Pascal

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	Titan X Pascal
1080p
low	354 FPS	339 FPS
medium	310 FPS	296 FPS
high	249 FPS	221 FPS
ultra	195 FPS	177 FPS
1440p
low	222 FPS	215 FPS
medium	196 FPS	187 FPS
high	160 FPS	152 FPS
ultra	128 FPS	121 FPS
4K
low	110 FPS	104 FPS
medium	94 FPS	88 FPS
high	77 FPS	73 FPS
ultra	60 FPS	57 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open Titan X Pascal

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	Titan X Pascal
1080p
low	765 FPS	615 FPS
medium	612 FPS	492 FPS
high	510 FPS	410 FPS
ultra	382 FPS	307 FPS
1440p
low	535 FPS	461 FPS
medium	432 FPS	369 FPS
high	366 FPS	307 FPS
ultra	287 FPS	231 FPS
4K
low	367 FPS	307 FPS
medium	298 FPS	246 FPS
high	221 FPS	205 FPS
ultra	176 FPS	154 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open Titan X Pascal

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	Titan X Pascal
1080p
low	523 FPS	519 FPS
medium	452 FPS	449 FPS
high	383 FPS	386 FPS
ultra	319 FPS	307 FPS
1440p
low	428 FPS	422 FPS
medium	371 FPS	367 FPS
high	298 FPS	299 FPS
ultra	245 FPS	231 FPS
4K
low	279 FPS	259 FPS
medium	259 FPS	246 FPS
high	225 FPS	205 FPS
ultra	186 FPS	154 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open Titan X Pascal

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3060 and Titan X Pascal

GeForce RTX 3060

The GeForce RTX 3060 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 12 2021. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1320 MHz to 1777 MHz. It has 3584 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 170W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 28 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 16,995 points. Launch price was $329.

Titan X Pascal

The Titan X Pascal is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in August 2 2016. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 1417 MHz to 1531 MHz. It has 3584 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 250W. Manufactured using 16 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 13,660 points. Launch price was $1,199.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3060 scores 16,995 versus the Titan X Pascal's 13,660 — the GeForce RTX 3060 leads by 24.4%. The GeForce RTX 3060 is built on Ampere while the Titan X Pascal uses Pascal, both on 8 nm vs 16 nm. Shader units: 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 3,584 (Titan X Pascal). Raw compute: 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 10.97 TFLOPS (Titan X Pascal). Boost clocks: 1777 MHz vs 1531 MHz.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Titan X Pascal
G3D Mark Score	16,995+24%	13,660
Architecture	Ampere	Pascal
Process Node	8 nm	16 nm
Shading Units	3584	3584
Compute (TFLOPS)	12.74 TFLOPS+16%	10.97 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1777 MHz+16%	1531 MHz
ROPs	48	96+100%
TMUs	112	224+100%
L1 Cache	3.5 MB+169%	1.3 MB
L2 Cache	3 MB	3 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3060 gives access to NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), widely regarding as the superior upscaling method for image quality. The Titan X Pascal relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Titan X Pascal
Upscaling Tech	DLSS 2 Super Resolution	Upscaling support
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	Standard

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 3060 comes with 12 GB of VRAM, while the Titan X Pascal has 8 GB. The GeForce RTX 3060 offers 50% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 360 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 480 GB/s (Titan X Pascal) — a 33.3% advantage for the Titan X Pascal. Bus width: 192-bit vs 384-bit.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Titan X Pascal
VRAM Capacity	12 GB+50%	8 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR5X
Memory Bandwidth	360 GB/s	480 GB/s+33%
Bus Width	192-bit	384-bit+100%
L2 Cache	3 MB	3 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 12.1 (Titan X Pascal). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.1. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.5. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Titan X Pascal
DirectX	12 Ultimate	12.1
Vulkan	1.3+18%	1.1
OpenGL	4.6+2%	4.5
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 7th Gen (GeForce RTX 3060) vs NVENC 5.0 (2x) (Titan X Pascal). Decoder: NVDEC 5th Gen vs PureVideo HD VP8. Supported codecs: AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC (Titan X Pascal).

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Titan X Pascal
Encoder	NVENC 7th Gen	NVENC 5.0 (2x)
Decoder	NVDEC 5th Gen	PureVideo HD VP8
Codecs	AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9	MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3060 draws 170W versus the Titan X Pascal's 250W — a 38.1% difference. The GeForce RTX 3060 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 600W (Titan X Pascal). Power connectors: 8-pin vs 6-pin + 8-pin. Card length: 242mm vs 267mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 75 vs 85°C.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Titan X Pascal
TDP	170W-32%	250W
Recommended PSU	550W-8%	600W
Power Connector	8-pin	6-pin + 8-pin
Length	242mm	267mm
Height	112mm	112mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	75-12%	85°C
Perf/Watt	100.0+83%	54.6

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 3060 launched at $329 MSRP, while the Titan X Pascal launched at $1199. The GeForce RTX 3060 costs 72.6% less ($870 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 51.7 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 11.4 (Titan X Pascal) — the GeForce RTX 3060 offers 353.5% better value. The GeForce RTX 3060 is the newer GPU (2021 vs 2016).